First Steps to Trust
by FaithInHim4ever
Summary: Takes place at the end of "Heaven's Portal." Gloria learns how to trust Tess all the way. R/R
1. Chapter 1First Steps to Trust

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the characters from TBAA. They belong to CBS.

God loves you

"First Steps to Trust"

Gloria took a deep breath as she tried to stop crying. She was sure Monica was going to be disappointed in her and as for Tess…well the youngest angel didn't even want to think about what her superior would do or say.

The little angel knew she had messed up big-time. She knew Monica wouldn't let Tess hurt her physically, not that Tess would do that, but Gloria still wasn't looking forward to the lecture that she knew she would receive.

As Gloria took another deep breath, she felt her stomach lurch. She swallowed hard, willing herself not to throw up. She knew she was on her own until Monica or Tess came for her and Gloria prayed with all her heart that it was Monica.

As if an answer to her prayers, Gloria glanced up to see her supervisor coming towards her. Monica looked relieved upon seeing that Gloria was in one piece.

However, the Irish angel could tell her case worker was in a lot of pain and very afraid.

"Gloria! Thank God you're all right. Tess and I were worried sick about you."

Monica had reached Gloria by this point. She pulled her case worker into her arms and gave her a comforting hug.

Gloria accepted Monica's hug and hugged back. SHE rested her head against Monica's shoulder and closed her eyes, savoring the protection and safety she felt being in her supervisor's loving embrace.

But all too soon, Monica pulled away just enough to see into Gloria's eyes. She could tell her 'little one wasn't doing so well-emotionally or physically.

"Gloria, come on. We need to get you checked out."

Gloria nodded. She let the tears fall, feeling secure enough to do so now that Monica was there.

"Gloria…It's okay. I'm not mad at you, little one. I promise, I'm not. You didn't know."

Gloria nodded as she let out another sob before swallowing hard once again.

As Gloria tried to breathe normally, Monica realized something.

"It must be wearing off." She said, referring to the ecstasy pill Gloria had ingested nearly twelve hours before.

Gloria merely whimpered as more pain surged through her head and stomach.

"Monica, what have I done? I really messed up!" Gloria cried, the tears coming thick and fast. "I want God to know I'm sorry!"

Monica gave Gloria a reassuring hug.

"Gloria, sweetheart, God knows already. He does, little one. And He will forgive you if you ask Him for it."

"I know. But what about Tess? Tess is gonna kill me!"

"Not quite, little angel." A familiar and wise voice spoke from just behind Gloria to her left. "But I do have a few things to say to you."

Gloria gulped. She backed up into Monica, hoping her supervisor and best friend would protect her from Tess's wrath.

Monica, sensing Gloria's fear, pulled her close out of protection.

The Irish angel gave her former supervisor a hopeful look.

"Tess, please, go easy on Gloria. She made an honest mistake. She's still so young. And you need to remember, God assigned me to Gloria. I'm her supervisor."

"I know that. But I'm in charge of Gloria when she's down here as well. And I do have a few things to say to her." With that, Tess turned her gaze upon the fore mentioned angel.

Gloria choked back a sob as more tears streamed down her face.

"Tess, I…I'm sorry! I screwed up. I…I'm sorry!"

"Gloria, do you have any idea what you've done?"

Gloria nodded as another choked sob escaped her lips.

"I know I made a huge mistake! I feel awful! For what I did and…I'm sorry! I want God to know I can do better!." With that, she turned around and buried her face in Monica's shoulder, seeking comfort and assurance from the one angel she trusted above all other angels.

Monica wrapped a protective arm around Gloria and hugged her close. She put a hand through her hair, trying to calm her down.

The Irish angel led her charge over to a bench and sat down with Gloria partway in her lap. SHE knew her 'little one needed her now more than ever.

Tess followed them and chose her next words carefully.

"I know you are, baby."

Gloria looked up at the sudden change of tone in her superior's voice.

"And so does the Father." Tess continued. "Come here, little angel." With that, Tess held her arms out to the distraught younger angel.

Gloria hesitated. She looked back at Monica and received an encouraging look from her supervisor.

Taking a deep breath, Gloria walked unsteadily towards her superior's outstretched arms.

Seeing Gloria's plight, the elder angel helped her the rest of the way.

Once Gloria felt Tess's arms secure her in a hug, she let the tears fall.

The superior angel just held the youngest and encouraged her to cry it out. She ran a comforting hand through her 'little angel's hair, hoping it would help her feel better.

A few minutes of silence passed before Tess broke it.

"I love you, little angel. That's part of the reason I was so hard on you today. I just want you to be the best angel you can be. When I found out what you did, I was worried about you. I didn't want anything to happen to you."

Gloria nodded. She was trying her best to calm down, but the tears wouldn't stop.

"Shh, it's all right. Little angel, it's gonna be okay. Monica and I are gonna help you through this and so will the Father. Now, let's get you home." With that, Tess let go of Gloria so that she could get the car ready.

Once the elder angel was gone, Monica came up behind Gloria and wrapped her in a comforting hug.

Gloria accepted her supervisor's comfort, needing it more than ever right now.

As the car came into view, Gloria started feeling dizzy. SHE put a hand to her forehead and stopped walking. It was becoming too much for her to handle.

"Gloria? What's wrong, little one? What is it?" Monica asked, concern in her gentle Irish lilt.

"Monica, I…I don't…I don't feel so good." Gloria told her, her voice shaky and full of pain. "I feel like I'm gonna…" Her voice trailed off as the dizzy feeling increased. As she tried to take a step towards the car, she blacked out.

"Gloria!" Monica cried in alarm. SHE caught her case worker before she hit the ground. A panicked look crossed the Irish angel's face as she yelled for Tess.

"What happened, angel girl?" Tess asked, coming around the side of her beloved car. She gasped upon seeing Gloria unconscious in Monica's arms.

"She just…she just blacked out!" Monica exclaimed, tears of fear in her brown eyes.

"Okay. Come on, we need to get Gloria medical help." With that, Tess helped Monica get Gloria into the car.

Once Gloria was situated, Monica got in the back with her, hoping she would be okay.

The Irish angel prayed all the way to the hospital, asking God to protect Gloria and keep her safe.

The drive to the hospital felt like an eternity, but it had only taken ten minutes.

Upon arriving, Dr. Susan Larkin took over Gloria's case immediately.

"What happened?" Susan asked. She laid Gloria on a gurney and pushed it towards an available trauma room. She went for one that was used for full scale traumas, Monica and Tess following behind her.

Monica explained what she knew from the day's events. She then begged Susan to do everything she could to help Gloria.

"We will." Susan promised. With that, she pushed the gurney through the trauma room doors, leaving Monica and Tess in the hallway.

Once the door was closed, Monica let the tears of fear and guilt fall. She couldn't help it. She was Gloria's supervisor. She was supposed to protect her.

Tess saw Monica's distress and hastened to comfort her.

"Aw, baby, it's gonna be all right. Gloria's gonna be fine. The Father will watch over her. She's in His hands now. And you know as well as I do, there's no safer place to be."

Monica nodded as a sob escaped her lips.

"I know, but I should have been there to protect her! I should have watched her more closely. Gloria is my responsibility and I let her down!"

"No you didn't, angel girl. I promise you didn't. You can't be with Gloria every minute of every day. And she's gonna have to learn some hard lessons here on Earth. But the most important thing is the Father will help her through them and so will we. Our little Gloria's gonna be fine. She might have the world's biggest headache tomorrow morning, but she'll be fine."

"I hope you're right, Tess." Monica said, her voice slightly tearful.

"You know I'm right." Tess told her, planting a motherly kiss on the top of Monica's head. "And once Gloria's feeling better, I'll talk to her and we'll get things straightened out. You can be sure of that."

Gloria awoke a few hours later to Monica stroking her hair. She relaxed at the comforting and familiar touch.

The Irish angel smiled when she saw Gloria's eyes start to open.

"Hi there, little one. You're awake. How are you feelin'?"

Gloria shrugged before a few tears of pain made their way down her cheeks. Her throat felt like it was on fire. As she tried to speak, she found she couldn't.

Monica patted her charge's shoulder reassuringly.

"Gloria, it's all right. Dr. Larkin will take that tube out as soon as she comes to check on you. They had to intubate you to help you breathe."

Gloria nodded, showing Monica that she understood.

Just then, Dr. Larkin came in. She smiled upon seeing that Gloria was awake.

"Ready to get that tube out?" Susan asked, her smile sincere.

Gloria nodded.

"All right. You're going to have to help me though." Susan told her.

Gloria gazed to Monica and then back at Susan.

Monica voiced aloud what Gloria couldn't for the time being.

"Can I stay with her?" She asked, knowing that's what Gloria was referring to.

"Absolutely." With that, Susan went about the task of exubating the youngest angel. "All right. Now, I need you to take a deep breath and then after I count to three, you need to blow out really hard. Okay?"

Gloria nodded.

"Okay. Deep breath in…" Susan instructed kindly. She prepared to take the tube out as Gloria followed her direction. "…1, 2, 3…blow out hard."

Gloria did just that, relieved when the tube was finally removed.

As Susan pulled the tube out, Gloria started coughing. She then gagged, before promptly vomiting into a basin Monica was now holding in front of her.

"It's okay, little one. It's all right. You're okay now." Monica assured her. "You're goin' to be fine now."

Gloria sipped gratefully from the straw as Susan held a cup of water to her lips.

"I'll bet that feels better, huh?" She asked, patting Gloria's shoulder.

Gloria tried to say something, but found her throat hurt too much at the moment.

Monica heard her struggle to say her name and hushed her.

"Shh, Gloria, it's all right. I'm right here. You need to stay quiet for now. You'll be able to talk once your throat has a rest for a wee while." The Irish angel assured her.

Gloria frowned, but did as her supervisor had instructed.

"Good girl. That's my wee one. You're all right now."

"Monica's right," Susan chimed in. She straightened Gloria's IV line out as she spoke. "You need to rest your voice for at least a day. By tomorrow, you'll be as good as new."

Gloria sighed, which made Monica giggle.

"My little one has never been very patient." She explained. She gave Gloria a knowing, but gentle smile.

"You can say that again." A familiar voice said from just inside the doorway.

"Tess!" Monica exclaimed, happy to see her former supervisor. "Where have you been?"

Tess sighed.

"Here and there. More importantly, how's our little Gloria doing?" She gave Gloria a small smile, but to her dismay, Gloria turned away and buried her face in Monica's right side.

"As well as can be expected." Monica said, starting to stroke Gloria's hair again. "Susan just exubated her, but she has to stay quiet until tomorrow."

Tess chuckled softly, making Monica give her a confused look.

"What's so funny?" Monica inquired, not sure why Tess had laughed.

"Nothing, angel girl. It's just that Gloria can hardly stay quiet for two minutes let alone twenty four hours."

"Tess!" Monica admonished, but she too was smiling a wee bit. "That's bad!"

"It's true, baby." Tess insisted, still smiling at Gloria.

The night passed by uneventfully. Gloria slept for most of it and tried her best not to talk. She was able to keep some apple juice down, which was a relief to both Monica and Tess.

Susan had said that they needed to do a few more tests to make sure all of the ecstasy was out of Gloria's blood stream. After everything was checked out, Gloria would be able to go home.

Monica relayed this news to Gloria, who just shrugged and snuggled into her for a cuddle. She was tired and needed the rest…

The next morning, Gloria awoke around seven-thirty, unable to sleep any longer. She wanted to get the last tests done and go home.

Monica awoke to someone whispering her name.

The Irish angel smiled when she realized it was Gloria.

"Hey little one. What are you doin' awake? It's still early."

Gloria shrugged.

"I…I couldn't sleep." She said, her voice still a wee hoarse from being intubated for the past few days.

"Anxious to go home?" Monica guessed, a gentle smile spreading across her face. She reached over and patted Gloria's shoulder.

"Uh-huh."

"I thought so."

Just then, Dr. Larkin walked in. She gave both angels a smile of greeting before preparing to do the last few tests.

"I see someone's raring to leave." Susan observed, laughing softly.

Monica giggled.

"Aye, Gloria's ready to go home all right."

"I don't blame you. Unfortunately, I have four more hours to go before I can leave. All right, the first test I'm going to do is just a blood count and it will also give me an electro lyte count as well. After that, I want to do an ultra sound to make sure all of the ecstasy is out of your system."

"What happens if there's still some in there?" Gloria asked, coughing slightly as she spoke.

Monica handed Gloria another cup of water as Susan answered her question.

"Well if there's more ecstasy in there, we need to get it out by way of a special type of medicine."

"What does it do?" Monica wondered as she set the cup on the table.

"It extracts whatever's left." Susan replied. She had found a vein by now and was just about to swipe Gloria's wrist with alcohol.

Gloria reached her other hand out and Monica gave her little one what she needed.

"It's okay, Gloria. It's all right. I'm right here. After these tests are done, we can go home."

Gloria nodded. She whimpered as the needle went in.

"Almost done," Susan assured her. "You're doing great."

Gloria just closed her eyes, wanting this to be over with as soon as possible.

Once the blood test was done, Susan did the ultra sound. It didn't hurt and Gloria was relatively calm throughout the short procedure.

"Well, what's the verdict?" Monica asked, knowing Gloria wanted to leave sooner rather than later.

Susan frowned.

"It seems there's still a little bit left."

"So what does that mean? Does Gloria have to stay another night?"

Gloria shook her head, praying that she would be able to leave.

"Not necessarily." Susan replied. "If the medicine works the way it's supposed to, Gloria could be out of here within the next hour or two."

Gloria sighed with relief upon hearing this. She didn't mind staying an extra hour or two, just as long as it meant she could sleep in her own bed tonight.

Monica nodded, a relieved look crossing her face as well.

Susan left and returned with the medicine in question. She handed Monica a basin and explained that Gloria would need it.

"All right, sweetie. I need you to drink this." Susan handed Gloria the cup and waited for her to do so.

Gloria eyed the liquid within the cup wearily, but one reassuring look from Monica was all she needed to obey Susan's instructions.

As the medicine went down, Gloria suddenly felt extremely nauseous. She clapped a hand to her mouth and swallowed hard as the feeling grew.

Monica saw her charge's plight and put the basin in front of her. She helped Gloria to face it as she heaved, bringing up the contents of her stomach.

Gloria let out a sob as she heaved for the third time in fifteen minutes.

"Monica, it hurts!" Gloria cried, referring to her stomach. "It really hurts!"

"I know, Gloria, I know it does. But you're gonna feel better soon. This medicine is goin' to help you."

Gloria merely whimpered as she leaned over the basin once again.

It wasn't until ten minutes later that Gloria's stomach finally calmed down. She was in tears and all she wanted to do was lay her head in Monica's lap.

Susan allowed this, knowing Gloria would get more rest that way. She explained to Monica that Gloria would most likely get sick twice more before the medicine subsided.

"But the ecstasy is completely out of her system?" Monica asked, hopefully.

Susan nodded.

"Yup."

"Thank God." Monica praised, relief sweeping through her. She then indicated the emesis basin that was sitting on the table. "Would it be okay if we took this with us in case Gloria needs it? Tess is a wee bit picky about her car."

Susan chuckled, knowing exactly what Monica was talking about.

"Sure." She replied. With that, she left to check on another patient.

Two hours later, Tess arrived to pick Monica and Gloria up. She noticed that Gloria was in a cranky mood and asked Monica what had happened.

"Let's just say Gloria didn't have a good mornin'. She's still feelin' a wee bit queasy too. She'll be okay once we get home."

Tess nodded, knowing Monica was probably right. After all, Monica understood Gloria better than she did.

As Monica went to situate herself in the back seat, Gloria reached her hand out and grabbed the Irish angel's right wrist as though she was afraid her supervisor would leave her.

"Gloria, it's okay. I'm not goin' anywhere. I just need to get situated and put my seat belt on. It's okay." Monica assured her charge.

After Monica's seat belt was on, she let Gloria squeeze her hand and lay her head in her lap.

It wasn't until fifteen minutes into the drive that disaster struck.

Gloria was resting comfortably for the most part. It wasn't until Tess hit a speed bump, did things take a turn for the worst.

Monica heard Gloria's breathing quicken and she had a feeling she knew what was going to happen.

"Monica, I…I don't feel so good!" Gloria whimpered.

"All right, sweetheart. It's okay. Here we go." But as Monica helped Gloria to sit up, she started feeling dizzy, which made the nausea increase.

Before Monica could do anything, Gloria heaved, bringing up the contents of her stomach all over the back of Tess's car.

As Gloria heaved again, Monica put the basin in front of her while helping her face it.

Gloria was crying now, but it wasn't from not feeling good as much as fear for what Tess was going to say about her car.

"I'm sorry!" Gloria cried, before losing the contents of her stomach for the fourth and hopefully final time. "Tess, I'm really sorry!"

Tess sighed. She stopped the car and came around to Gloria's side. She opened the door and gave Gloria a reassuring look.

"Tess, I'm sorry!" Gloria cried again, tears streaming down her face. She heaved yet again, but this time, nothing came up.

"Gloria, it's okay, baby. It's all right. I'm not mad at you, honey. Why are you apologizing to me?" The elder angel inquired.

Gloria let out another sob before trying to answer Tess's question.

Monica spoke up just then.

"Tess, she's probably upset because she doesn't feel good."

"I know that. I didn't ask her why she's crying. I asked her why she apologized to me." With that, Tess turned her attention back to the youngest member of their family. "Gloria, honey, I'm not mad at you. It's okay. I know you didn't mean to do it. Besides, my car needed a good cleaning anyway." Tess added,

hoping to get a smile out of the youngest angel.

Gloria just continued to cry while burying her face in Monica's shoulder. She then spoke, her words breaking Tess's heart.

"Ba-but I really messed up! You were right. I am stupid!"

Tess shook her head.

"Gloria, I want you to listen to me and listen good. Now, I don't admit this too often, but I was wrong."

This got Gloria's attention. She raised her head up slightly to gaze at her superior.

"No you weren't. I was the one who did something stupid."

"You made a bad decision." Tess explained. "A very bad decision, but it's one you can learn from, baby. And I was wrong to make you think you were stupid. You're not stupid. I don't want you to EVER think otherwise, do you understand me, Gloria?"

"Ya-yes ma'am." Gloria replied. She let out a small sob before continuing to speak. "But your car's ruined, thanks to me!"

"Little angel, listen to me. " Tess instructed kindly. "I'm not mad at you, sweetheart. I'm really not. Like I said, my car needed a good washin' anyway."

"Ba-but your car is…" Gloria's voice trailed off as she leaned towards the bucket once again. She heaved, this time bringing up a small amount of whatever medicine was left in her system.

"That's it," Tess soothed. She put a hand on Gloria's shoulder to try and keep her calm. "You're okay, little angel. It's all right. Just try and take a deep breath. You're okay."

Gloria tried and succeeded after a second attempt.

"Thatta girl." Tess said, patting Gloria's shoulder. "It's okay. Now, we're gonna go home and then we'll get you feeling better." She kissed Gloria's cheek before getting out of the car. "I love you, little angel." She added as she started the car up again.

Gloria didn't answer. She was too overcome by exhaustion and pain to respond at the moment.

Once they had returned home, Monica and Tess tucked Gloria in and Monica stayed with her. She knew her case worker needed all the rest she could get in order to fully recover.

Two days later, Gloria was sitting alone in the sunroom, thinking about what had happened nearly two days before.

The youngest angel had some things to sort out on her own and she needed time for just her and God right now.

The truth was, Gloria was trying everything she could possibly think of to avoid Tess.

Even though Tess hadn't gotten mad at Gloria for getting sick in her car and had apologized for making Gloria think she was stupid, the youngest angel had no desire to be in Tess's company at the moment.

But if Gloria had to be in anyone's company, she would have much rather it be someone that she trusted. Someone like…

"Gloria?" A familiar and gentle Irish lilt said. "You mind if I join you?"

Gloria glanced up to see Monica standing in the doorway. She shook her head and motioned Monica over.

The minute her supervisor and best friend sat down, the youngest angel buried her face in her shoulder while letting out a sob.

Monica did the only thing she could think of. She pulled Gloria in for a hug and tried to calm her down. She hated seeing her charge in pain and she wanted to do everything she could to help her feel better.

"Monica, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I know I messed up. I know I messed up big time! Tess is probably still mad at me!" With that, Gloria let out a sob and continued to cry. "She probably hates me!"

Monica sighed as she tried to calm Gloria down. She combed her fingers through Gloria's hair, knowing that would help. It worked before whenever Gloria was upset about something.

"Gloria, sweetheart, Tess doesn't hate you. She loves you, little one. She does. Tess loves you so much. And God isn't mad at you. He loves you. He'll forgive you if you ask Him."

Gloria nodded. She knew Monica spoke the truth about their Heavenly Father, but she wasn't so sure about Tess.

Just then, the Irish angel asked Gloria a question that caught her off guard.

"Gloria, why did you run from me on Thursday? I was just trying to help you."

Gloria shrugged as best she could in Monica's arms. She sighed and gazed over her supervisor's shoulder out the window at the buildings across the street. She didn't have an answer for Monica right away.

After Gloria had gotten her thoughts together, she tried to express them in words the best way she could.

"I…I was afraid."

"Of what?" Monica asked, wanting to help Gloria through this.

"I was afraid that you were going to be disappointed in me." The younger angel confessed, a few tears streaming down her face.

Monica sighed. She hugged Gloria close and planted a motherly kiss on the top of her head.

"Yes, I was, but I still love you. And so does God. Like I said, sweetheart, God will forgive you if you ask Him for it."

Gloria nodded. She understood what Monica was trying to say.

"What about Tess? Will Tess ever forgive me?"

Monica nodded.

"Yes. Oh yes, she will. Gloria, Tess loves you. She loves you so much and she cares for you just like I do. Tess doesn't want to see you hurt. Do you understand why Tess got mad at you?"

Gloria nodded slowly.

"Because I put my assignment in danger." She concluded, hoping she was right.

Monica nodded.

"Aye. But even more than that, you put yourself in danger as well. We both love you, little one. We don't want to see you get in trouble."

"I know you do." Gloria said, referring to Monica loving and caring about her.

"Tess does too, sweetheart. I'm telling you, Tess loves you."

Gloria didn't answer, not sure if she believed Monica on that point.

Just then, Tess appeared. She smiled at both of her angel babies and reached her arms out to Gloria.

"Monica's right, little angel. I do love you. I love you more than anything. Come here, honey." Tess said, her voice conveying nothing but sincere love for Gloria.

Gloria shook her head. She buried her face deeper into Monica's shoulder. She dug her fingernails into the Irish angel's skin for protection. The last thing Gloria wanted was for Tess to hold her. Truth be told, Gloria didn't think she deserved a hug from anyone, but she wasn't going to say anything just yet.

Monica rubbed Gloria's back gently and hugged her close. She then pulled away from Gloria and turned her around to face Tess.

"Gloria, it's okay." Monica assured her. "Tess isn't goin' to hurt you. She loves you. I promise, Tess won't hurt you. I'm right here, but you need to start trusting her sometime. Go on, little one."

Gloria hesitated a little. But she trusted Monica, so if her supervisor and best friend said it was okay, it usually meant it was.

Taking a deep breath, Gloria took a tentative step towards Tess's opened arms.

Tess helped Gloria the rest of the way, reaching out and pulling her into a hug. The elder angel held the youngest as she started to stroke her hair.

As Gloria felt Tess hug her, she tried to struggle, wanting to break free. Tess was too fast for her though and held the little angel close.

"Gloria, it's okay." Monica assured her, starting to pat her shoulder. "I'm right here. Tess isn't going to hurt you. She just wants to show you she loves you."

Gloria nodded, but a few minutes later, she started to struggle again. It wasn't that she didn't want Tess to hold her, she just didn't feel deserving of a hug from anyone, most of all Tess.

"Gloria…" Tess said, warningly. "Little angel, it's okay. You can stop struggling now. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Tess, please let me go." Gloria said, her voice soft, but full of desperation. She prayed using her manners and being polite would get her somewhere.

"I'm sorry, little angel, but I can't do that. At least not right now." Tess replied. "You're okay. Monica and I are both here and so is God. You're all right. Just relax and you'll see everything's okay."

"Why are you doing this to me?" Gloria asked, her voice full of tears and desperation.

Monica had to fight back tears of her own. She had half a mind to rescue Gloria, but she fought it. She knew Gloria and Tess needed to work this out on their own.

If Monica rescued her little one now, Gloria would NEVER know Tess loved her.

Tess sighed. She hugged Gloria close and gave her shoulder a pat.

Monica patted Gloria's other shoulder, letting her know she was still there.

"I'm doing this to show you I love you. I don't think you know that and I want you to know. I do love you, little angel. I may Monica does, but that doesn't mean I don't love you. I love you and Monica more than anything."

Gloria didn't respond to Tess's words of love and truth. Instead, she started to struggle again.

"Gloria…" A voice said warningly. But it wasn't Tess's this time. It was Monica's. She wasn't going to rescue Gloria, quite the opposite. She was going to try and help Tess get her point across. "Gloria, it's okay. You need to relax and let Tess hold you. She's not goin' to hurt you. She wants to show you that she's forgiven you and she loves you. Will you give her that chance?"

"No!" Gloria exclaimed, her voice full of distress. She started to struggle again and it was all Tess could do not to scold Gloria for her outburst. Even though Gloria had yelled at Monica, it had to do with Tess as well.

Monica held her breath, not sure how Tess was going to handle this. She knew Tess didn't like being talked back to or yelled at. It was going to be interesting to see how Tess would handle the situation…

"Little angel, listen to me." Tess said, her tone firm, but her grip on Gloria still the same. "I suggest you change that attitude of yours. I know you're afraid and I know you're confused, but like Monica said, I'm not going to hurt you. I love you and that's why I'm holding you right now. That's also why I'm not giving you a tongue lashing for that outburst of defiance you just displayed."

Gloria got the message and tried to calm down. She was still distressed, but she stopped struggling a bit.

"Good girl," Monika praised, gently patting Gloria's shoulder. "That's it, sweetheart. You're okay."

"Gloria?" Tess said, her voice questioning. "Why do you want me to let you go? Is it because you don't think I love you?"

"No." Gloria answered, her voice still soft, but this time, it was full of something neither Monica or Tess had ever heard there before. And that something was guilt.

"Then why do you want me to let you go? Why are you so against me holding you? You let me hold you two days ago and you were fine. Are you afraid of me?"

Monica held her breath once again. She wasn't sure what Gloria was going to say and she hoped and prayed it was nothi expressed it with less of an attitude than she had exhibited the last time.

"I was yesterday." Gloria admitted, causing Monica to let out a little giggle.

Tess's brown eyes narrowed at her angel girl from over the top of Gloria's head.

The Irish angel shrugged and tried to look as innocent as possible.

"Okay. If you're not afraid of me, then why are you so desperate for me to let you go?" Tess questioned, hoping Gloria woul answer this time.

Gloria let out a sob before answering Tess's question.

"Because I don't deserve a hug from anyone, most of all you! I was stupid and I deserve what I got!"

Far from being mad at Gloria's second outburst, Tess fought back tears as she hugged Gloria even tighter. She planted a kiss on her cheek before starting to rock back and forth a little, trying to calm Gloria down.

"Gloria, listen to me." Tess said, her voice gentle, but Gloria could sense sternness in it as well. "You are NOT in any way, you understand me, little angel?"

Gloria nodded.

"Yes ma'am." She said, getting a smile out of Monica.

"Good. Now, you made a bad choice, but it's a choice you can learn from. It was a BIG mistake, but you can learn from it. Yes, I was mad at you yesterday, but I'm not mad at you anymore. I love you, Gloria. I always have and I never stopped. Now, as for you not deserving a hug from me or anyone else, that's not true, honey. You never have to be afraid to ask me for a hug or to give me one. I want you to know that. And just for the record, you are very smart. You are. And I wouldn't have you any other way. Child at heart and all. Just like I wouldn't have Ms. Wings over there, any other way. Coffee addiction

and all. I love both of you so much."

Gloria let out a little giggle at the comment Tess had made about Monica's addiction to coffee.

Tes grinned at the progress she had made. She enjoyed hearing Gloria giggle, even if it was at Monica's expense. The important thing was Gloria had done it. It was a sound Tess hadn't heard out of her little angel for the last few days and she was glad to hear it again.

"I was wondering where that giggle of yours had gotten off to." Tess said, grinning a little. "I'm glad you're feeling better, baby."

Gloria nodded. She then made another futile attempt to get free from Tess's grip.

"Tess, please can you let me go?" Gloria asked, her voice full of exhaustion.

Tess shook her head. As much as the superior angel wanted to give in, she wasn't going to let Gloria have her way this time. As much as Gloria fought her, Tess wasn't going to let her win this battle.

"No. I'm sorry, but I can't do that."

"Why not?" Gloria whined, her voice full of the tiredness that she felt.

Tess sighed. She let Gloria's whining go for the moment and concentrated on getting it through to the younger angel that she loved her.

"The reason I can't let you go is because I love you. I want you to know that I Love you and I don't think you know that. Or you might know that, but I don't think you believe it."

"Tess, I know you love me." Gloria said, hoping to convince Tess of what she wanted to hear. "Now, please let me go!" The last part of Gloria's sentence came out in a whine.

The youngest angel then turned to Monica, hoping to get some help from her supervisor and best friend.

"Monica, can you please make Tess let me go?" Gloria asked, her voice as calm and polite as it could be. There was a hint of desperation in it and Monica had to choose her words carefully.

The Irish angel didn't want Gloria thinking she was trying to take sides, but she also didn't want to cross Tess or override her authority.

Monica knew full well that this was Tess's battle with Gloria and she couldn't rescue her little one.

"I'm sorry, little one, but I can't. This is between you and Tess. I love you both, but I can't tell Tess what to do. And I suggest you don't try it either."

Gloria pouted at this and turned her attention back to Tess. She was getting impatient and she was also getting tired of being held against her will.

"Tess, please, just let me go!" Gloria pleaded, her voice full of desperation and a hint of annoyance.

Tess shook her head as she continued to hold the youngest angel. She was going to get her point across, even if it took all night.

Monica couldn't help but giggle at Gloria's antics. Gloria was truly stubborn when she wanted to be. That was something she and Tess had in common. They were both stubborn and when their stubbornness clashed, it was interesting to see who would back down first.

Monica knew from experience that even though Gloria was putting up a good fight, she was not going to win this one.

"Gloria…" Tess warned. "First of all, please keep the whining to a minimum. Secondly, I'm not going to let you go until I know that you know I love you. And thirdly, I'm going to keep telling you I love you until it sinks in and you believe it."

Monica stepped in just then.

"Gloria, remember what I told you earlier? When you asked me if God would forgive you?"

"Uh-huh." Gloria said, her voice full of sleep.

"I said God would forgive you if you asked Him." Monica reminded her young caseworker. "I wasn't lying."

"I know." Gloria replied, her voice less tired now. She gave Tess a pleading look. "Tess, please, I need to breathe. I promise, I won't try to break free. Can you loosen up a little?"

Monica giggled for the second time that afternoon. Even Tess cracked a smile. Gloria was truly cute.

"Sure thing, little angel. But you better not try and get away from me."

"I won't. I promise." Gloria said, her eyes closing as she rested her head against Tess's shoulder. She wouldn't admit this aloud, but she actually felt comfortable with her superior.

Tess loosened her grip a little and made her way over to the couch. She sat down and pulled Gloria down with her. She secured Gloria in her lap, but not too tightly. She started combing her fingers through the younger angel's hair, knowing that would help her fall asleep, or at best help her stay calm.

"See?" Tess said, her voice soft and full of nothing but love for the angel in her arms. "You're okay. I told you I wasn't going to hurt you."

"Hmm-mmm." Gloria said, half asleep.

Monica grinned at both of them as she watched the interaction with tears in her eyes. She was happy for both of her friends. She knew it had taken a lot out of Gloria for her to trust Tess.

Gloria had taken the first steps towards forming a relationship with the elder angel and Monica was proud of her for that.

Tess glanced up at Monica before gazing back down at Gloria. Tess then started to sing, knowing it would help Gloria fall asleep easier. The song was called "When You Can't Move the Mountain."

She repeated the song for a second and third time, knowing it was one of Gloria's favorites..

It wasn't until Tess was done the second verse, did she glance down to see that the youngest angel was almost asleep.

"Well at least we know one thing your singin' does." Monica commented, coming over and sitting across from Tess and Gloria.

Tess gave her angel girl a mock glare.

"I'd watch my halo if I were you, Ms. Wings." Tess said, but Monica could see a smile twitching at the corners of her supervisor's mouth.

Tess then started to sing again, satisfied when she felt Gloria's body relax a little bit.

Tess's heart melted as Gloria snuggled deeper into her protective and loving hold.

"That's it, little angel." Tess assured Gloria, combing her fingers through her 'little angel's hair. "You're okay." With that, the elder angel started to sing again.

After Tess had sung the song for the fourth time, she was sure Gloria was asleep, but she was proven wrong when Gloria mumbled something in her half asleep state.

Even though Gloria had mumbled it, Tess had caught it all the same.

"I love you, Tess." Gloria said, as she closed her eyes and let herself fall asleep.

Tess felt tears come to her eyes as she held Gloria gently and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"I love you too, little angel. I love you too." With that, Tess held Gloria for the next two hours.

It wasn't until Gloria woke up, did Tess finally let her go. She knew they both needed their rest and it had been a long day for everyone.

Monica smiled as she helped Tess tuck Gloria in for the night. She was happy that Gloria had taken the first steps to trusting Tess.

Monica knew it was going to take a while for Gloria to fully trust Tess like she trusted her, but the Irish angel was proud of Glori had made that day.

"Tess?" Gloria asked just as Tess was leaving the room.

"Yes, little angel?" Tess replied. She came back and sat down on the edge of Gloria's bed. "What is it, honey?"

Gloria hesitated for a minute. She wasn't sure if her superior would agree to it. Another part thought it was a stupid request.

"Nothing." Gloria said, fearing Tess would think it was dumb also. "Forget it."

"Gloria…" Tess said, her voice full of warning, but it had a gentle note to it as well. "Remember what I told you a few hours ago? I said you could tell me anything and I meant it. What's wrong? What do you want me to do? Just ask."

Gloria sighed. She took a deep breath before asking Tess for what she wanted.

"Will you stay with me till I fall asleep? Please?"

Tess smiled.

"Sure I will. You don't ever have to be afraid or embarrassed to ask me that." She told Gloria. "Do you understand me, little angel?"

Gloria nodded.

"Okay."

"Good. Now, do you want me to sing to you?" Tess asked, praying Gloria would tell her the truth this time.

"Yes, please?"

"Oh, I like that." Tess said, smiling from ear to ear at her little angel. "An honest answer and manners too. I really like that."

Gloria giggled. She relaxed as she felt Tess start to comb her fingers through her hair.

As Gloria fell asleep to Tess singing to her, she smiled. She made a mental note to tell Monica she was right the next day. Tess did love her and Gloria was glad she had taken the first steps to trusting her.

After Gloria was asleep, Tess stayed with her for a few more minutes. She gave her shoulder a pat.

Before Tess left Gloria's room, she walked over to Gloria's window and gazed up into the Heavens above.

"Thank you for helping Gloria to trust me, Father. Thank you." With that, Tess checked on Gloria one last time. She pulled the covers up to Gloria's chin and made sure Gloria was warm enough.

After that was done, Tess checked to make sure Gloria was going to be okay for the night. She gave Gloria a kiss on her cheek before leaving the room.

"Sweet dreams, little angel. I love you."

"Love you too, Tess." Gloria said, her voice full of sleep.

Tess smiled as she made sure Gloria was going to be okay.

"I'm glad, little angel. I'm glad." Little did Tess know what the next week would be like…

THE END


	2. Chapter 2Gloria's Reason

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the characters from TBAA. They belong to CBS.

God loves you

"Gloria's Reason"

A week later, Tess sought her 'little angel out. She wanted to ask Gloria something and she hoped the youngest angel would talk to her. She knew they weren't as close as Gloria and Monica were, but Tess still loved Gloria all the same.

Tess found Gloria in the sunroom, reading a book. She was engrossed in the story, everything else blocked out.

Tess waited until Gloria put a bookmarker in it before making her presence known.

"Can we talk, little angel?" Tess asked. She came into the room and sat down next to the youngest angel.

"Okay. I guess." Gloria replied. There was reluctance in her tone and Tess detected it instantly.

"I need to ask you something." Tess began, praying silently that God would give her the right words to get through to Gloria.

"Okay." Gloria said again. She gave Tess her full attention before her gaze landed on the half opened door.

Tess knew what Gloria was thinking and gave her a half smile.

"Monica's outside watering some plants. She should be in soon."

Gloria nodded.

"Gloria, why did you do it?" Tess inquired, her brown eyes searching Gloria's identical ones for an answer. "Why did you take ecstasy? I know you didn't know what it was or that it was dangerous, but why didn't you think before acting?"

Gloria thought about this for a few minutes before answering Tess's question.

"I…I guess I did it because I was desperate."

"Desperate for what?" Tess asked, not sure she was following Gloria's train of thought.

Gloria shrugged as she gazed at the floor.

"I was desperate for an escape. But mostly, I was just…" Her voice trailed off and the elder angel was sure she heard a small sob escape the youngest's

lips. "…I was just homesick! I missed Heaven so much and that boy said that stuff was prayer in pill form. I just wanted to go home so badly, if only for

a few minutes…I just missed God and Heaven so much!"

"Gloria, sweetheart, God is always with you. He hasn't left you."

Gloria nodded as she choked back a sob.

"I know, but I missed Heaven so badly!" The youngest angel admitted, the tears streaming freely down her face now.

"I know how you-" Tess began, but was cut off by Gloria's tearful, but slightly frustrated tone.

"No you don't!" Gloria shouted, not caring that she was overstepping major boundaries at the moment.

"Excuse me?" Tess asked, more in reference to Gloria shouting at her rather than what she had said.

Gloria, not understanding the meaning behind Tess's words and blinded by frustration, lashed out once again.

"Don't sit there and tell me you understand because you don't! You don't understand! You don't know what it's like!"

"Then help me to understand." Tess encouraged, her voice as calm as it could be under the circumstances.

Oblivious to Tess's willingness to listen, Gloria launched into a verbal rant, not caring if her voice rose in volume. She had been holding this in for a month now and she was going to let it out.

A part of Gloria was angry at Tess and she was going to make her point loud and clear.

"You don't understand at all! You don't know what it's like to be born and have to leave the only home you ever knew and hardl what it's like to want to go home so badly, but know you can't! You don't know what it's like to be trapped somewhere you know isn't truly your home and spend nights missing it so badly it hurts! So don't tell me you understand because you don't!"

Gloria turned away as a sob escaped her lips.

Tess was caught between a rock and a hard place with this one. She wanted to comfort Gloria, but another part wanted to scold her for her outburst.

Heaving a sigh, Tess took the high road. She glared at Gloria before addressing her verbally.

"I know you're upset, but you better tone down the attitude, little angel as well as the volume of your voice. I'm not the enemy here. I'm just trying to help you."

Gloria jerked her head around and glared at Tess once again.

"Help me? That's new. All you've ever done since God sent me here was lecture me and criticize me! If that's what you call helping me, then I don't need it. I have a supervisor who actually cares about me. And it's not you!"

Before Tess could say anything, Monica entered the room. She had heard the commotion from outside and wanted to know what was going on.

The Irish angel gazed from her crying case worker to Tess, who looked as angry as Gloria felt.

"What's goin' on in here? I heard you two all the way from outside." She then rephrased her statement. "Actually, I heard my little one all the way from outside. What happened?"

Tess sighed as she tried to explain.

"I tried talking to Gloria and she decided that talking back to me was a good way to express her feelings."

Monica shook her head in disbelief. She then gazed at Gloria, her hazel eyes pleading for a reasonable explanation.

"Gloria, you didn't. Please tell me you didn't talk back to Tess."

Gloria nodded, ashamed to look Monica in the eye. She had been angry at Tess before, but now she was afraid of what her supervisor was going to say.

It was true that Monica was gentle with Gloria most of the time. But during those few times when the youngest angel wasn't listening or did something wrong, the Irish angel didn't hesitate to put her in her place verbally.

Rather than scold Gloria at the moment, Monica tried her best to understand why she had done it.

"But why?" Monica inquired. She was searching her charge's innocent and usually joyful eyes for the answer. "Why would you do somethin' like that?"

Gloria shook her head. She didn't have an answer for her supervisor at the moment.

"Gloria, please, talk to me. I want to help, but I can't if you won't let me. I'm not mad at you, I just want to know why you did it."

Gloria let out a sob as she glanced at her superior before her gaze landed on her supervisor once again.

Monica saw Gloria's actions and tried to get her to focus on her.

"Gloria, it's okay. Look at me, little one. I need an answer. It's me you need to answer, not Tess. Try and concentrate on that."

Gloria did so, but it was hard.

"I don't know!" Gloria finally exclaimed.

Monica could sense fear and frustration in her case worker's voice and decided to talk to her privately. She could sense Gloria was feeling too many bad emotions to be reasoned with at the moment.

"Gloria, could you leave Tess and me alone for a minute, please? Go wait for me in the den."

"But Monica…" Gloria started, but stopped at the look on the Irish angel's face.

"Gloria, please. I'll be in to talk to you in a few minutes." Monica told her, her voice as calm as it could be. She truly wasn't mad at Gloria, but she had to help straighten this out and fast.

Gloria gave Monica a pleading look, but the Irish angel just shook her head and pointed to the hallway.

"Now, Gloria." She said. There was a finality to her Irish lilt that Gloria recognized instantly.

Without another word, Gloria left the room.

Once she was gone, Monica turned her attention to her former supervisor.

"Tess, please, let me talk to Gloria. I think I know why she talked back to you. It's not an every day occurrence, but it was still wrong. And I'll let Gloria know that. But I honestly think she's been holdin' this in for a long time now. She's been home sick now for awhile and you just played it off."

Tess was about to protest, but stopped at the earnest look on Monica's face.

"I'm not tryin' to take sides, Tess. I promise you. But Gloria's in a lot of emotional pain and the only way she's gonna heal is if we both help her. But in order to do that, you need to understand her a wee bit better. Let me go talk to her and then you can try. I know she didn't mean to talk back to you."

"Okay, Ms. Wings. But you better get through to her."

"Ye of wee faith." Monica said, teasingly. She gave Tess a half cheeky grin before leaving the room.

Upon arriving in the den, Monica found Gloria sitting on the window seat. She was still crying and the new supervisor could tell there were more tears to come.

The Irish angel made her way over to the youngest and put a hand on her left shoulder.

"Gloria? We need to talk, little one." With that, Monica sat down beside Gloria and pulled her in for a hug.

Gloria buried her face in Monica's shoulder as another sob escaped her lips.

Monica knew she had to get Gloria calmed down first before she attempted to reason with her.

For the next five minutes, Monica just held Gloria and combed her fingers through her hair. She encouraged her to cry it out and assured her that she was there.

It took Gloria ten minutes, but she was finally able to calm down.

Once her breathing went back to normal, she said something that broke Monica's heart.

"Tess is never gonna forgive me!" Her voice was lost and full of pain.

"Aye, she will. Gloria, Tess will forgive you. You just need to give her time. She knows deep down that you didn't mean to lose your temper with her. She knows."

"Monica, I'm sorry. I just…" Gloria's voice trailed off, giving way to more sobs.

"Gloria, look at me, sweetheart." Monica gently coaxed.

Gloria did so, noticing Monica's stern tone was gone.

"Tess still loves you. She does. She told me as much downstairs."

"How can she still love me after what I did?" Gloria asked, her voice full of sadness and guilt.

Monica smiled.

"Because she's Tess. And because she knows you didn't mean what you said."

Gloria shook her head.

"That's just it, Monica. I did mean what I said. I meant every word. Tess doesn't understand me like you do and she doesn't know how…it's just hard!"

Monica sighed. She knew Gloria was right, but she also needed to help her understand that talking back to Tess was unacceptable.

"Gloria, I know you're goin' through a hard time right now. Believe me, I do. But that doesn't give you the right to talk back to Tess. It's disrespectful and Tess won't tolerate it."

"I know. And I'm sorry I did it. " Gloria admitted, sincerely.

"I know you are, little one. But you need to apologize to Tess, not me."

Gloria nodded.

A few minutes of silence passed before Monica broke it.

"Gloria, I do know what you're goin' through. I promise you, I do."

"I know you do. But Tess doesn't understand me like you do." Gloria said matter-of-factly.

"Aye, I know. But the Father put you and me together as supervisor and caseworker because He knew we were a perfect match. He knew I would be able to teach you how to be an angel of God. But most of all, the Father knew I would show you the same love He has for all of us."

"But Tess doesn't do that!" Gloria practically whined. She then added, "She doesn't get it! She doesn't understand!"

Monica sighed.

"Tess loves you, little one. She would do anythin' for both of us."

Gloria nodded. She knew Monica spoke the truth on that point.

"Monica?" Gloria said, a few minutes later.

"Aye, little one?" Monica replied. She gazed down at Gloria with nothing but sincere love in her honey colored eyes.

"Do you still love me?" Gloria asked. She sounded so unsure.

"Oh yes. Aye, I do. I love you so much, Gloria. I love you so much. Why would you think otherwise, sweetheart?"

Gloria shrugged as best she could in Monica's embrace.

"Well because you scolded me downstairs."

Monica knew this was coming and she had to play it carefully.

"Gloria, the reason I scolded you was because you back talked Tess. And you know angry or not, that's somethin' you shouldn't do. The other reason I scolded you was because you weren't listening to me."

"I know, but I just felt so trapped, I didn't know what else to do." The youngest angel admitted, calming down slightly.

"But Tess is NOT the enemy. She loves you so much." Monica tried, hoping Gloria would believe her.

Gloria didn't answer, choosing to snuggle further into her supervisor's protective and loving hold.

"I will never do something like that again." Gloria stated, referring to the ecstasy.

"Do you mean taking ecstasy or back talking Tess?" Monica wondered aloud.

Gloria thought about it for a minute.

"Taking ecstasy." She finally replied.

"I'm glad to hear that. But what about back talking Tess?"

Gloria grinned a wee bit.

"I'll try my best not to do that again."

"That's good to hear." Monica said, hugging Gloria close.

The smile quickly vanished from the youngest angel's face and was replaced with a frown. She sighed and Monica heard it instantly.

"Gloria? What is it, little one?" The Irish angel asked. Her gentle Irish lilt was full of concern.

"I just…I miss home so much!" Gloria admitted, tears spilling from her brown eyes like a smoothe, spring shower.

"Shh, it's okay, it's okay. I know, Gloria, I know you do. I miss it too."

"Tess doesn't get it!" Gloria repeated, her voice full of distress. "She doesn't understand!"

"Aye, she does. She does understand, little one. Tess knows you're home sick. She understands you want to go back home to Heaven."

"I miss it so much!" Gloria cried, her voice desperate and full of longing.

All Monica could do was hold Gloria and reassure her she was there.

"It's okay, sweetheart. It's all right. I'm right here. You're okay. The Father is always with you, Gloria. He hasn't left you. But I know you miss Heaven somethin' awful. Like I said, I miss it too."

"Tess doesn't." Gloria stated, her tears starting to subside.

"Yes she does. Gloria, listen to me. Tess misses Heaven too."

"Monica's right, little angel. I miss it too." A familiar and wise voice said from just inside the doorway.

Monica glanced up to see Tess standing there.

Upon hearing her superior's voice, Gloria tried to push herself deeper into Monica's hold.

"Gloria, it's okay." Monica assured her. "I have you. It's all right, little one. You're safe. Tess isn't going to hurt you."

Gloria nodded, but stayed where she was all the same.

"Little angel, it's okay." Tess assured her, sitting down on a chair across from her two angel babies.

Gloria glanced up and made brief eye contact with Tess before turning away.

"Tess, I…I'm sorry! I shouldn't have talked back to you. I'm really sorry!"

"I know you are, baby. I know. I also know you were afraid and confused. You felt trapped and you were pushing at anything you could. I got the message loud and clear. But you know I don't tolerate back talk from anyone."

"I know." Gloria replied in an effort to show Tess she was paying attention. "It's gonna be okay, sweetheart. I know you miss Heaven something awful, but it'll get better. I promise. I know you want to go back, but you can't right now. The Father wants us to stay here most of the time. But you'll get to go back home to Heaven every once in a while."

"I know. But it's not enough!" Gloria cried.

"I know it feels that way sometimes." Tess comforted. "Believe me, I know." She came over and sat next to where Monica and Gloria were sitting. "But you're not alone. Monica and I are here and the Father is always with you, Gloria. He loves you just like we do."

Gloria raised her head and glanced at her superior.

"I love you too, Tess." She replied, sincerely. "I love you too."

Tess grinned, despite the situation. She held her arms out to her 'little angel.

The youngest angel hesitated, but after one reassuring look from Monica, she took the plunge. She remembered how safe she had felt when Tess had held her a few nights ago and a part of her wanted to feel that safety again.

Once Tess had secured Gloria in a loving hug, she planted a kiss on the top of her head before combing her fingers through her hair.

Gloria just buried her face in Tess's shoulder, letting the remaining tears fall.

Much like Monica had done, Tess encouraged Gloria to cry it out while assuring her she was safe.

"Shh, it's all right, honey. It's okay. Gloria, it's okay." Tess continued to soothe Gloria until she started to calm down.

Monica spoke up just then. She was fighting back tears of her own at this point.

"Tess, Gloria didn't mean to be disrespectful. She was just feelin' so lost and afraid. She was missin' home somethin' awful and she just…" Her voice trailed off as she gazed at her former supervisor.

Tess nodded to show Monica she understood.

"I know, angel girl. I know. I also know you miss it too."

"I do," Monica admitted. "But not as much as Gloria does. Tess, she's just a baby. She's still so young."

Just then, Gloria let out a quiet sob.

"Gloria, it's okay, sweetheart. I gotcha, little angel. I'm not gonna let you go." Tess assured the distraught angel in her arms.

Tess then started to sing, knowing it would help Gloria calm down.

It took Gloria a good half an hour, but she was finally able to relax.

Tess smiled down at Gloria as she felt the tension leave the youngest angel's Human form.

"That's it, little angel. You're okay. I still have you."

Gloria mumbled something before snuggling into her superior's hold.

Monica grinned, despite the few tears that had made their way over her pretty Irish features.

Tess noticed her angel girl's mood and opened her free arm to her as well.

"Come here angel girl." Tess said, her voice full of motherly compassion.

Monica wasted no time in taking Tess up on her offer.

"I love you both so much." Tess told the Irish angel, hugging her close.

"I know you do. " Monica replied, calming down almost immediately. "I love you too. And I think for the first time, Gloria realizes it too."

Tess nodded as a smile of love crossed her wise features.

"Amen to that, angel girl. Amen to that."

As Tess sat there, both of her angel babies safely in her arms, she glanced up and into the slowly darkening sky.

"Thank you for blessing me with these two precious angel babies, Father. Thank you."

THE END


End file.
